Lennon announces coaching staff changes
12/27/2014 | 12:00:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois head football coach Dale Lennon announced three coaching staff changes on Saturday. Secondary coach David Elson will take over defensive coordinator duties while Lennon resumes traditional head coaching duties; quarterbacks coach Nick Hill will serve as co-offensive coordinator with 2014 OC Bill O'Boyle; and O'Boyle will be promoted to assistant head coach.
Elson joined the staff last year as the secondary coach and will assume defensive coordinator duties in 2015. Elson served as the defensive coordinator on Western Kentucky's FCS national championship team in 2002. In his first year in Carbondale, Elson's unit allowed 15 fewer pass yards per game compared to 2013 and intercepted eight passes. Elson will continue to serve as SIU's recruiting coordinator through the spring semester.
Hill joined the SIU coaching staff in 2014 as the quarterbacks coach and will add co-offensive coordinator duties in 2015, serving with Bill O'Boyle. The Salukis set a school record with 29 touchdown passes in 2014 and had top-five seasons in school history in passing attempts, completions and yardage. Newcomer Mark Iannotti tied a school record with six touchdown passes in a game, earning MVFC and National Newcomer of the Week honors.
O'Boyle will serve as co-offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 2015. O'Boyle joined the staff in 2013 as offensive line coach and his unit immediately led the MVFC in fewest sacks allowed. Offensive production jumped six points per game and nearly 90 yards per game in his first season on staff. O'Boyle was promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2014 season and his offense averaged 29.4 points per game, the most at SIU since 2010. The offense ranked in the top five in school history in passing attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns; including a school record for single-season touchdown passes.
